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FIA to block ‘custom engines’ for 2014 – report

The rule will be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council on Friday

Engine makers will have to supply identical packages to each partner team when the new V6 formula kicks off next year.

But Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that Red Bull and Renault fought hard against the FIA’s plans, with the reigning champions having wanted to involve team sponsor Infiniti – Nissan’s luxury arm – in the development of its power unit.

But the entire Renault ‘power unit’ will now have to be homologated, meaning all of Renault’s customers – including Toro Rosso and probably Lotus and Caterham – receive exactly the same package.

Auto Motor und Sport said that rule will be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council on Friday.

The German report said Mercedes argued strongly against allowing different engine specifications for individual teams, which might have driven up costs and deepened the gap between the big and small teams.

A paddock source is quoted as saying: “Infiniti can build their own engine if they want to.”